The present invention relates to a sunroof apparatus, and particularly to a sunroof apparatus which has a sealing mechanism for sealing a gap between a sunroof panel and an edge of opening in the roof of a vehicle.
It is known that a sealing member is placed around the periphery of a sunroof panel for sealing a gap between the sunroof panel and an edge of opening of substantially rectangular shape. The sunroof panel is installed in the opening with a hinge about which it can be tilted up. Related arts are disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application 11-321339.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing structure of a conventional sealing mechanism used for a sunroof panel. As shown in FIG. 4, when a sunroof panel 23 of a sunroof apparatus 200, which is supported by a panel holder 27, is tilted up, ventilation of a cabin of a vehicle is conducted in such a manner that air is expelled from the cabin through a passage defined by the sunroof panel 23 and an edge of an opening 21 in a stationary roof 22. A sealing member 24, which is attached to an end portion 23a of the sunroof panel 23, provides sealing between an internal periphery of the opening 21 and the sunroof panel 23. The sealing member 24 has a lip 25 for water drainage around its external periphery, which prevents rainwater from intruding into the cabin. And a channel 28 for water drainage, which is positioned under the lip 25, drains drops of rainwater away.
However, when the sunroof panel 23 is tilted up, the air which is drawn from the inside of cabin during vehicular traveling interferes with the lip 25, inducing noise. This is ascribed to the fact that the air stream having a considerable speed flows through a small passage defined by the lip 25 and the edge of opening 21 in the stationary roof 22.